Dorsal raphe dopamine neurons represent the experience of social isolation
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Ungless, MA
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The motivation to seek social contact may arise from either positive or negative
emotional states, as social interaction can be rewarding and social isolation
can be aversive. While ventral tegmental area dopamine (VTA DA) neurons may
mediate social reward, a cellular substrate for the negative affective state of loneliness has remained elusive. Here, we identify a functional role for DA
neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), in which we observe synaptic changes following acute social isolation. DRN DA neurons show increased
activity upon social contact following isolation, revealed by in vivo calcium imaging. Optogenetic a ctivation of DRN DA neurons increases social preference, but causes place avoidance. Furthermore, these neurons are necessary for promoting rebound sociability following an acute period of
isolation. Finally, the degree to which these neurons modulate behavior is
predicted by social rank , together supporting a role for DRN dopamine neurons in mediating a loneliness-like state.
emotional states, as social interaction can be rewarding and social isolation
can be aversive. While ventral tegmental area dopamine (VTA DA) neurons may
mediate social reward, a cellular substrate for the negative affective state of loneliness has remained elusive. Here, we identify a functional role for DA
neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), in which we observe synaptic changes following acute social isolation. DRN DA neurons show increased
activity upon social contact following isolation, revealed by in vivo calcium imaging. Optogenetic a ctivation of DRN DA neurons increases social preference, but causes place avoidance. Furthermore, these neurons are necessary for promoting rebound sociability following an acute period of
isolation. Finally, the degree to which these neurons modulate behavior is
predicted by social rank , together supporting a role for DRN dopamine neurons in mediating a loneliness-like state.
Date Issued
2016-02-11
Date Acceptance
2015-12-21
Citation
Cell, 2016, 164 (4), pp.617-631
ISSN
0092-8674
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
617
End Page
631
Journal / Book Title
Cell
Volume
164
Issue
4
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
License URL
Sponsor
The Royal Society
The Royal Society
Identifier
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867415017043?via%3Dihub
Grant Number
UF090017
516002.k5859/je
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cell Biology
AMPA RECEPTORS
TYROSINE-HYDROXYLASE
EXTENDED AMYGDALA
INBRED STRAINS
RAT-BRAIN
IN-VIVO
LONELINESS
NUCLEUS
BELONG
REWARD
Animals
Dopamine
Dopaminergic Neurons
Dorsal Raphe Nucleus
Glutamic Acid
In Vitro Techniques
Loneliness
Male
Mice
Optogenetics
Patch-Clamp Techniques
Reward
Synapses
Ventral Tegmental Area
Ventral Tegmental Area
Synapses
Animals
Mice
Dopamine
Glutamic Acid
Patch-Clamp Techniques
Loneliness
Reward
Male
Dopaminergic Neurons
Optogenetics
In Vitro Techniques
Dorsal Raphe Nucleus
Developmental Biology
06 Biological Sciences
11 Medical and Health Sciences
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2016-02-11